****QOTD 12/19****

Thanks for sharing the highlights of your year yesterday! It was nice to see what made everyone smile this past year :)

What cultures or subcultures are you bringing together with your marriage and wedding?

For me, I am bringing together the subcultures of LONG ISLAND vs. UPSTATE. Capitals, because I never realized how prevalent this difference would be! I am born and raised on LI and obviously hosting a LI wedding. FH and his family are from north of Albany. This has made me so anxious about every step in the wedding process. They comment about how expensive everything is. I was so scared to pick a hair stylist because the place I usually go to would have probably scared them (big hair, big make up, etc.). I am so scared of their personalities clashing with some of the vendors like the DJ or rehearsal dinner manager (since that is what they are paying for). I am trying to follow the golden rule of if it makes FH and me happy, then the rest doesn't matter, but it's been very difficult with less than positive reactions every step of the way.

Here's my best story to showcase this.. FH dad went on for months about how we were overpaying to have an open bar...first of all, my parents are paying for the reception, so its not really his business. Second of all, I believe in an open bar and that was FH only request for the wedding, and third, it came as a package with my reception hall! They explained that in order to keep the classy feel, they don't deal with any cash at the bars-- they don't even keep a tip cup out! Ughh.. wish me luck!

****QOTD 12/19**** - Long Island Weddings

I am half Irish and half Italian (but I am a few generations removed) marrying a first generation Italian. The cultures are similar but yet very different. I am striving to incorporate our heritages into the wedding as much as possible.

For our mass, outside of the church we are having a bagpiper, and after the mass, the guests will be waving wedding wands with bells attached to them when we exit the church (the bells are symbolic in Irish tradition at weddings). During the mass, we will present the Blessed Mother with a bouquet while Ave Maria is being sung, and we are having one of FH's family members/friends do a reading in Italian. At the reception, we are having a live band with an Italian singer.

****QOTD 12/19**** - Long Island Weddings

We both come from Irish backrounds.. I am only going from a Mc to a Mack.. HOWEVER.. my father is insiting he is not drinking that day to make sure the cousins ( his nephews and my brother) dont get out of hand and keep peace) And where FH is from they really are all irish alcoholics.. LOL.. SO basically my reception is going to be a drunk fest I can see it now.. As far as traditions we are having a bag piper at the ceremony and our rings are celtic. We are also playing Irish music at the wedding.. The song with my dad is a newer song by dropkick murphys but FH is playing a more traditional song to dance with his mom.

Re: ****QOTD 12/19****

I'm half Italian (dad) and half Polish (mama). FH is 100% Sicilian. Needless to say, its gonna be the quintassential LI Italian wedding. That is, save for the guest list. We are keeping it capped at a max of 150guests.
I would say 75% of the cocktail hour food is italian. We've got the 5 jordan almonds in the organza bags as a 2nd favor for each guest. Processional song is 'Thats Amore' - and I'm sure there will be more Italian-American music to follow.
I definitely want to incorporate my Polish heritage too. I refuse to play polka music at my wedding, though, so it will be done via food. My mom and grandmother are gonna whip up a batch of a couple hundred perogis for the cocktail hour. If any other Poles are out there, offer up some more polish wedding traditions - I'm game.

Re: ****QOTD 12/19****

I come from an Irish (dad) and German (mom) background. FH is 100% Italian. I'm not supposed to know but my mom let it slip that my grandfather hired the NYPD bagpipers to come perform during the reception. Lord! Lol. I would have much rather have them outside the church but I appreciate the gift! I haven't asked FH yet (and he didn't say) if there's anything he wants to add as a nod to his heritage.

Re: ****QOTD 12/19****

my mom lives down south with her family and is like basically southern now though she lived in NY until I was 21 and was raised here. she has a big mouth and tells her family the price of everything so from day one I've gotten to really hear it. it's really been fun bringing these people together.... NOT...

long island VS. the south
btw no one does weddings like Long island...

lets see I got to hear it because our reception is longer then weddings down there. I think down there they are only 3 hours? so everyone thought I added extra time which I didn't. it's typical of a li wedding! I can't wait until after the wedding when everyone is going to accuse me of getting extra food since we'll have so much... my mom went to a wedding down there and they ran out of food! and barely had anything...

flowers, girls do it themselves down there so again why did I need a florist? how lazy am I? of course typical on long island to not do your own flowers but to them I'm just a lazy girl who loves to waste money lol.

I could go on & on about this, I couldn't even post things on fb because my whole southern family would go nuts. I still have my aunt telling me I got ripped off on our hall because it's over $50 a person.... how dare I pay over $50 a person for a sat night wedding in the winter! don't I know it's off season? lol. she actually got married in NY but like in 1993! she doesn't listen as I'm like um prices went up since then. I can't imagine any hall being only $50 a person lol.

we are totally different like I'm Italian and he's Swedish/Filipino but besides some weird food he wanted at cocktail hour which I said sure why not, it's all been good with that. I'd def say our wedding is more Italian though but hey I'm the bride

****QOTD 12/19**** - Long Island Weddings

I'm literally the whitest white girl, lol. Both of my parents are Irish and German backgrounds. I'm nearly translucent in the winter. Hahaha... But FH is 100% Colombian. Like, born and raised in Colombia, didn't move to this country and didn't know English until he was 16. There will be LOTS of latino music at my reception, which is fine by me. FH is super proud of his heritage (aren't all Latinos? lol) and my family is American for generations, there's no real traditions anymore. I'm very happy to be adopting his culture. It's a lot of fun.

****QOTD 12/19**** - Long Island Weddings

FH was born and raised in Long Island, but I just moved to the US five years ago. I am Indian, but both FH and I are Catholic. Our wedding will be an American-Indian fusion wedding. I definitely don't want it over the top with the 'Indian' vibe. While we are having a traditional Catholic church wedding, I am including subtle Indian elements throughout our reception: Indian candles (diyas) at the reception, Spices as one of the favors, probably some form of Indian prints in our wedding stationary, and definitely a few Indian dance numbers at the reception. FH and I might also wear Indian outfits to our rehearsal dinner (my entire family loves FH, and they can't wait to see him in Indian attire lol). I am very anxious about it, because my entire family is traveling to the US for our wedding. We are only having 70 people at the wedding, but my family and friends will definitely make it interesting. The movie 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' always makes FH and me crack up, because that is exactly what my family is like.